The Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue magazine have created an endowment to support the next generation of American fashion designers. With monies raised, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has been established, the stated purpose of which is to generate sufficient income each year to fund significant financial awards to one or more designers and provide business mentoring. Award recipients are selected by a Committee of industry experts, based on the exceptional talent they have already demonstrated in fashion design and their capacity for future distinction in the fashion industry.

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Selection Committee annually selects three emerging fashion designer, who receive:
(1) business mentoring from an established team of fashion industry professionals, in areas such as business planning, marketing, sourcing, production, exporting, etc. and
(2) to encourage and enable the recipients to pursue his/her own independent design plan (one winner at $200,000 and two runners-up at $50,000 each).

TO BE ELIGIBLE, AN APPLICANT MUST:
• have an established, primary design business in the United States;
• be in business for a minimum of two consecutive years;
• be a designer of demonstrable talent: i.e., have garnered substantial and recent editorial coverage, and have support (i.e., orders) from key retailers;
• have professional staff (paid or volunteer) that can devote the time and effort required to accomplish the stated aims of an applicant’s design career plans;
• complete a preliminary application, which will include a 350-word biographical statement.

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Selection Committee does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color or national origin, sexual orientation, disability, age or sex.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Phase 1
Fashion designers who contact the CFDA to request application materials for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund are sent a preliminary application, which requires the applicant to submit a 350-word biographical statement and affirm his/her eligibility. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Selection Committee reviews all preliminary applications submitted by eligible candidates, and narrows the group to no more than one hundred (100) candidates, each of whom are invited to submit a formal application (Phase 2). Preliminary applicants who are not invited to continue to Phase 2 are notified, in writing, of the Selection Committee’s decision.

Phase 2
Each of the invited candidates are asked to provide specific information which outlines:
o his/her short-term and long-term business goals and objectives;
o how the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s financial award and business mentoring would encourage and enable the recipient to pursue his/her design career plans;
o his/her existing business, including:
• current organizational structure (employees/functions filled)
• consultants, outside advisors and professional firms that the candidate works with
• his/her current brand positioning, and where the candidate envisions his/her brand in the future
• Candidates are asked to submit a portfolio presentation containing work from their Spring and Fall collections, which may include sketches, photos, editorial photos, ads and/or videos.
• Candidates are asked to submit 3-5 references (editors, retailers and one other fashion industry professional with whom they have a close, working relationship) that the Selection Committee can contact for their comments and opinions.

At the conclusion of this part of the application process, the group is edited to ten (10) Finalists.

Phase 3
The ten (10) Finalists are interviewed by and make a presentation of five (5) looks from past, present, and upcoming collections to the Selection Committee. The interview includes an assessment of the business mentoring needs of each of the candidates.

Phase 4
The Selection Committee visits the design studios and meets with each of the ten (10) Finalists.

Phase 5
The Selection Committee determines one (1) award recipient (and possible runner/s-up) in October/November.

Upon completion of the award term, recipient(s) are asked to present a formal, final evaluation of the program.

PARTNER
J.Crew

UNDERWRITERS
American Express
Appleman Foundation
Barneys New York
Coach
Juicy Couture
Liz Claiborne
L’oréal Paris
Lord & Taylor
Nordstrom
Theory
Vogue

2009 Finalists
ALABAMA CHANIN – Natalie Chanin
ESQUIVEL SHOES – George Esquivel
GARY GRAHAM – Gary Graham
HOUSE OF WARIS – Waris Ahluwalia
MONIQUE PEAN – Monique Pean – RUNNER-UP
OHNE TITEL – Flora Gill and Alexa Adams
PATRIK ERVELL – Patrik Ervell – RUNNER-UP
SOPHIE THEALLET – Sophie Theallet — WINNER
SPURR – Simon Spurr
WAYNE – Wayne Lee

2008 Finalists
ALBERTUS QUARTUS – Albertus Q. Swanepoel – RUNNER-UP
ALEJANDRO INGELMO– Alejandro Ingelmo
ALEXANDER WANG – Alexander Wang – WINNER
IRENE NEUWIRTH – Irene Neuwirth
JASON WU – Jason Wu
JUAN CARLOS OBANDO – Juan Carlos Obando
OBEDIENT SONS & DAUGHTERS – Swaim & Christina Hutson
ORGANIC – John Patrick
RICHARD CHAI – Richard Chai
VENA CAVA – Lisa Mayock & Sophie Buhai – RUNNER-UP

2007 Finalists
ROGAN – Rogan Gregory – WINNER
3.1 PHILLIP LIM – Phillip Lim – RUNNER-UP
PHILIP CRANGI JEWELRY – Philip Crangi – RUNNER-UP
BAND OF OUTSIDERS – Scott Sternberg
ERIN FETHERSTON – Erin Fetherston
KOI DESIGN STUDIO – Koi Suwannagate
MICHAEL BASTIAN – Michael Bastian
THREEASFOUR – Ange Donhauser, Adi Gil, Gabe AsFour
VENA CAVA – Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai
VPL – Victoria Bartlett

2006 Finalists
DOO.RI – Doo-Ri Chung – WINNER
RODARTE – Kate and Laura Mulleavy – RUNNER-UP
THAKOON – Thakoon Panichgul – RUNNER-UP
3.1 PHILLIP LIM – Phillip Lim
COSTELLO TAGLIAPIETRA – Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra
DEVI KROELL – Devi Kroell
JOVOVICH-HAWK – Milla Jovovich and Carmen Hawk
MARCHESA – Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig
RAG & BONE – David Neville and Marcus Wainwright
SUBVERSIVE JEWELRY – Justin Giunta

2005 Finalists
TROVATA – Jeff Halmos, Josia Lamberto-Egan, Sam Shipley, John Whitledge – WINNER
DEREK LAM – Derek Lam – RUNNER-UP
THOM BROWNE NEW YORK – Thom Browne – RUNNER-UP
ANTHONY NAK – Nak Armstrong and Anthony Camargo
ATELIER JEAN YU – Jean Yu
COSTELLO TAGLIAPIETRA – Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra
ISABEL TOLEDO – Isabel Toledo
LUTZ & PATMOS – Tina Lutz and Marcia Patmos
MAYLE – Jane Mayle
PROJECT ALABAMA – Natalie Chanin

2004 Finalists
PROENZA SCHOULER – Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez – WINNER
CLOAK – Alexandre Plokhov – RUNNER-UP
HABITUAL – Michael and Nicole Colovos – RUNNER-UP
BEHNAZ SARAFPOUR – Behnaz Sarafpour
DEAN HARRIS – Dean Harris
DEREK LAM – Derek Lam
DOO.RI – Doo-Ri Chung
LIBERTINE – Cindy Greene and Johnson Hartig
PETER SOM – Peter Som
EDMUNDO CASTILLO – Edmundo Castillo